


Running Away

by abderian



Series: Love Hate [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: High School AU, M/M, Sequel to Love Hate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-23 04:40:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/618178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abderian/pseuds/abderian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall sat watching the younger boy run, fingers lifting up to touch his tingling lips, a small smile crossing his face. Sometimes, he thought to himself, there is a fine line between love and hate, and often the line itself can become blurred. He grabbed his stuff, walking from the room, glancing back at the desk where he had sat, the sunlight hitting it dimly, heart glowing as he remembered the touch of Harry’s lips against his.</p><p>That was how it ended, a kiss at sunset. But the fallout was harsh, as Harry ran scared, terrified of his own emotions, while Niall was left struggling finally succumbing to the loneliness that Harry had always kept at bay.</p><p>Sequel to Love Hate</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running Away

xXx

Loneliness, he had been alone for so long, but he had never felt lonely, despite Harry having scared away all his friends. But now he sat in the library, staring at the book but not reading, fighting back tears.

He knew why, even though he had no friends, Harry had always been enough, the way that he always gave Niall attention left the boy wanting more. And Niall hadn’t realised until now, just how much he was addicted.

They had kissed, and Niall had been wary of the fallout, but the memory of the way their lips had touched, the fire that burned within his heart fought off any misgivings.

But he hadn’t expected Harry to react the way he had. Avoiding and ignoring Niall. And the moment that Niall had lost Harry’s attention it felt as though his entire universe was spinning of centre.

He looked up, drawn by a magnetic force, to glance across the room, blue eyes meeting green for the first time in days. And Niall begged silently for Harry to walk over, to torment him, tease him, attack him, to see him, but Harry simply turned away and walked out of the library, leaving Niall shaking for what he needed so bad.

He was tempted to slam the book shut, to chase after him, grasp his arm and ask why. Why had he tortured him for all these years, just to kiss him, to cause his heart skip a beat? But he couldn’t bring himself to do it, terrified that Harry’s words would break him, and taking the ignorance as Harry’s latest means to torment him.

He felt the tear slip down his face, and he hurriedly wiped it away, determined to not outwardly show how much he was hurting. Not that anybody would care, only one person had ever seen him cry, only one person checked to see he was okay, and that person had made a promise that he was the only one who could hurt him. And as Niall silently broke, he smiled sadly at the fact that Harry had kept his promise.

xXx

Electricity had pounded through his body, causing his heart to flutter when he looked into those cerulean eyes, having avoided them for so long, trying to hide from the power they had over him. So he ran, ran before he could act, breaking the line that connected him to Niall.

Harry was scared. He had been scared ever since he had lost control in the classroom. He had been the one to make the move, he had been the one who kissed Niall, and the emotions, the turbulence in his mind frightened him.

He always knew that he was addicted, had an inkling that he felt something more, but the way Niall’s lips had moved against his, the deep, loving emotion in his eyes when they broke apart, Harry wasn’t ready, he wasn’t ready to accept just how much he loved the blond.

Grass crunched underfoot, and Harry realised he had wondered into the school courtyard in his dash, the crisp air filling his lungs and clearing his head. And then he realised that he had seen something that he had never seen before, loneliness and sadness.

In all the years he had known Niall, the boy had never been sad, only angry or happy as well as many other emotions, but never sad, and never lonely. Even when he would be getting close to someone, while Harry watched jealousy stirring until he broke in and forced the friend away, Niall never seemed hurt. Never until Harry pushed himself away, breaking Niall’s only connection to another person, the one that he had always relied on.

Staring into the sky, watching clouds lazily drift, Harry was shocked at the realisation of how well he knew Niall, how he finally saw that Niall let him push him around because Harry was the only person that mattered, and the fact that Harry had let nobody near Niall. Their emotions were more intertwined than either had ever realised.

The ringing of the bell broke into his thoughts and he flinched when he remembered that his next class was with Niall.

xXx

Liam slouched at his desk, feeling the tension in the air, as he glanced between both Niall and Harry. He had tried once, many years ago to befriend Niall, and, although he never knew it, he was the one person that Niall had become closest to until Harry intervened.

And Liam hadn’t fought; you would be stupid to, the connection and possessiveness between Niall and Harry clear to everyone except themselves. But he was perceptive, and he had continued to watch, waiting for the connection to become clear.

He could see it in the tension in the way Harry sat, the way that Niall slumped, the sadness in Niall’s eyes, the fear in Harry’s that the time had come and that Harry had run, realising just how much the blond had meant to him.

The time was now that Liam could finally step forward and talk to Niall without interruption, and he knew exactly what needed to be said, to put the fears within Niall’s mind at ease, and to encourage him for once to be the one who took action.

Harry had jumped from his seat and run the moment that class had ended, Niall staring after him, hands fiddling with his shirt as once again he fought the urge to chase him.

“Niall…” Liam began hesitantly, afraid that his input would be unwelcome, and that he would make it worse, so he stepped carefully.

“Liam.”

There was only confusion in his voice, unsure as to why Liam was giving him attention, after not acknowledging him for years.

“I know I haven’t talked to you in a while, it’s just that…”

“That Harry told you to back off, it’s okay, I know.” That surprised Liam a little, as Harry had confronted him well out of sight of Niall, yet the boy was obviously more aware of actions of Harry than he had expected.

“Niall, what happened between you and Harry?”

He froze, hesitating, but he could hear it in Liam’s tone, the worried crease in his brow, the downturn of his lips, that Liam was concerned and wanted to help, and despite having not spoken to the boy in a while, the bond they had was quickly reformed and Niall found himself trusting the boy, words pulled from his lips. He was just glad he had someone that could listen to his inner anguish.

“He is ignoring me, and I hate it. I lived for his attention, even though he gave it to me by teasing me, and it like every day I wait hoping that he will trip me or say something horrible, simply because he is acknowledging my existence. But then we kissed, and he has refused to say anything to me, he won’t even look me in the eyes…”

Niall blushed as he realised that he had let his secrets be spoken, yet Liam acted as though it was nothing new.

“Niall you need to listen to me. Harry is scared; I knew something must have happened because of the way you two were acting. You ever wondered why I didn’t make an effort to stay friends. It’s because I knew that Harry would continue to push me away, you were only allowed to be his, even though he didn’t realise why. The thing is he probably realises now and he doesn’t want to admit it to himself.”

Niall blinked, trying to understand what Liam was saying, but his mind kept coming up blank, as though he knew the answer, he understood Harry’s behaviour, but as he reached his hand out to grab understanding it slipped away.

“What do you mean?” He quietly pleaded, biting his lip nervously, he wanted to know, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready.

Liam smiled softly, “You need to trust your feelings, why were you okay with him pushing away all your friends, it was because he was the single most important person in your world. And he pushed away everyone, including me, because you were important to him and he didn’t want to lose you. You have to be the one to chase him this time Niall.”

“How do you know all of this?” Niall asked as he pushed the chair back, mentally preparing to sprint after Harry, even if it meant barging into his house, waiting for Liam to answer as he packed his books, hands twitching.

“Me, I just am very observant, so just go now Niall.”

And Niall did just that, leaving Liam behind, the boy wondering if maybe he would be allowed into Niall and Harry’s little world, hoping that maybe the two of them would accept other people now that they had each other definitely. Picking up his phone he texted Zayn and Louis, apologising for being late and that he would meet them soon.

xXx

Chest heaved as Niall gasped in breaths, having run all the way from the school to Harry’s house, a journey usually taken by bus. But his cheeks flushed, his mouth dry, his hands trembling as he reached up to knock.

One knock was all it took, and the door swung open, Harry looking down at the gasping boy, mind urging him to slam the door, but his heart wouldn’t allow it.

Niall was bent over, sweat slick in his hair, his breathing ragged, but when he looked up Harry was lost, the red blush causing butterflies, but it was the blue eyes filled with determination, with love that trapped Harry as he stepped aside letting Niall in.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” He breathed out, eyes flashing with curiosity.

“I haven’t.” He was lying, they both knew it, but he kept pushing, trying to hide, to control, just how much he wanted to push Niall against the wall and kiss him passionately.

Niall sighed sadly, his breath finally under control as he sat and lounged on the stairs.

“Don’t lie Harry, you haven’t looked at me once since we kissed, and I want to know why. I want you to tell me why.” Niall carefully emphasised the you, trying not to push Harry, but knowing that any action would be useless until Harry could vocalise his feelings.

Harry felt a sense of déjà vu, images of the classroom, Niall surrounded by the halo of sunlight, questioning him until he gave in, his control lost as he had looked into Niall’s eyes, the way he had been drawn, trying to stop himself but failing as he had leaned in, lips touching. It was the moment that haunted his dreams, he would wake up with his lips tingling, hoping desperately that he could experience the moment once again.

“Harry?” Niall prompted softly, and Harry realised he had fallen silent, experiencing his memories.

“I haven’t been ignoring you Niall.”

“Harry, please don’t do this. You haven’t even looked at me, don’t pretend that I am imagining it. I waited every day for you to acknowledge me, I missed the way that you teased me simply to get me angry. I miss you Harry, can’t you just tell me why?”

“You miss me teasing you?” Harry chose to focus on that point, feeling that was the only safe ground in Niall’s statement, the only one he could pursue without having to talk.

Niall stood, anger flashing in his eyes, and Harry felt his resilience fading, those eyes, he lived for them, for that flash of anger, and here was Niall was, infuriated, and he was lost, control slipping from his fingers.

“Yes, I miss you teasing me, I miss you pulling my hair, taunting its colour, I miss you spilling things on me, I miss you tripping me then making stupid remarks, I miss the way that you are the only person allowed to do those things. Fuck Harry why can’t you just understand that I miss you!”

Niall was cut off, eyes flying open, and then fluttering shut as Harry pushed him against the wall, one hand tangling in Niall’s blond locks, the other palm flat against the wall, trapping Niall against his body.

The kiss deepened, Harry licking Niall’s lips gently as Niall sighed allowing Harry’s tongue to enter his mouth, exploring the cavern beyond.

They were lost, no words needed, the kiss silently communicating all that they believed, bodies and minds slowly melting together, both understanding each other perfectly.

Feelings that they had hidden, connections that had existed but where left unrecognised, were painted, highlighted, physically tying the two together, no more would one run, they were connected indefinitely.

Harry pulled away, but staying close, his breath mingling with Niall, forehead resting against Niall’s, waiting for those blue eyes to open. And they did, blue eyes meeting green, a silent conversation taking place, all chains that held them back before disintegrated, their love apparent to themselves and each other.

“I won’t ignore you anymore, I’m sorry Niall, I was just scared, the way I felt after I kissed you, I had never felt any emotion that strong, so I ran.”

The words were whispered, private between the pair, but Niall blinked, all traces of loneliness forgotten as he buried his head into Harry’s chest.

“Please just don’t do it again, I have never felt so alone. I need you Harry, and it scares me just how much I struggled without you.”

Harry hesitated, but placed his hand on the back of Niall’s head, holding him close, relaxing, finally accepting that his feelings were nothing to be scared of, they were something to be embraced.

xXx


End file.
